Alright everyone. I have a discussion question for you all. What is the purpose of Pathfinders? Please use your own words to answer this question. What do you, as a Pathfinder Club, do for your community, and how often? Try not to just make a list. Instead, try to explain what you do so that its full purpose is revealed. Do you think that you do enough for your community? Why do you, or why don't you agree with a more mission or service focused Pathfinders? I'm not trying to direct this conversation in anyone topic, but I would like to see certain questions answered by you. Why do we go camping?

I'm sure that I can come up with more. However, let's discuss these questions. If more questions arise (from any of us) about Pathfinder's purpose, throw them up on the forum in your reply (please bold any questions). No one person can see the whole story. It takes all of us to better understand something.

The purpose of Pathfinders is twofold. First, it is to lead the children of our church to Jesus Christ. Second, it is to train them to serve Him and lead others where we have led them.

Our club engages in one community service project each month. I wish we could do more, but time is in such short supply. I already hear it from some parents that we are taking up too much of their time. Others can't get enough though, so perhaps we have found the balance. We feed the homeless, and visit the elderly. We are going to Holbrook Indian School at the end of this month to make window screens and fix about 50 bicycles. We will also present some Adventurer Awards to one of the classes, do general clean up and other repairs. I am very much looking forward to this. We have also helped with hurricane clean-up efforts (Katrina and Irene). I am now involved with ACS-DR, so I hope to be able to bring the Pathfinders to bear even more.

The purpose of camping with the Pathfinders is to remove them from their normal element so that we can reach them with the Gospel. It is also an opportunity for them to become competent at something so enjoyable while exploring God's natural world.

That's my take on it anyhow!

_________________Jim Thomas
The sooner you get behind, the more time you have to catch up.

Thanks for your input jomegat. Sometimes I think that church members know what Pathfinders is "supposed to be," but that they don't always know the hows or what Pathfinders is at it's core. Pathfinders seems to be more and more defined by the camping, socialization, etc and not by the goals that are at the heart of Pathfindering. Then there are church members who define Pathfinder success by the number of new member baptisms that it creates.

_________________"Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' " John 13:8b